St. Paul daily globe., 1887-12-17
A MUSEUM TALK.
A Contortionist Speaks Of Famous
Goal Oil Johnny"
HOW HE BLEW HIS MONEY.
His Minstrel Career---Buying Hotels for
Day---Starting Hackman
in Business.

quite a bit in my time. In fact, Eve
been around the world three times"
This was remarked by William Gaylord,
the contortionist, to the writer,
in Minneapolis, the other evening.
"And I've had many queer ex-
periences," he resumed. ''DO you
know, Coal Oil Johnny was my particu-
lar friend in his palmiest days? Well,
he was. Indeed, was his roommate
when he cut his antics which made him
celebrated as the most eccentric mill
iOnaire on earth. 1t was from 1868 to
1869. You see, was with the Skiff tS
| Gaylord minstrelS. Johnny, whose real
name is John ". Steele. saw our per-
formance in Philadelphia, and he got
| stuck on the business and bought
third interest in the show. His first
move was to get 5000 worth of wood
! cuts at his own expense. They were all
the way from one-sheet to twenty
| four sheet size, and the largest amount
| any concern had ever owned. The car
tOon, which attracted so much atten-
| ton, of Bring That Skiff Over Here'
was in tue lot. We went on the road,
did a monster business everywhere,
| turned away people and were pros
porous. Reaching Utica, n. Y,
Johnny treated to supper for
the company, which cost $1,000.
He then conceived the idea of travelling
by his own train, and purchased an en-
gIne, sleeper and baggage car at an
enormous expense. All dates for two
weeks were cancelled, and we went
junketing, Johnny footing all bills. In
Erie we had a 500 supper, and so it
went. 1t was here that Johnny bought
his first hack. After short ride he
presented it TO the driver. Our dates
being cancelled. Johnny insisted upon
indemnifying lis for the loss of time.
He paid all salaries and then estimated
the probable business receipts upon the
basis of packed houses and paid that
over to Seth Slocum, our treasurer.
I'm Chicago, Johnny gave another
exhibition of his eccentric traits. He
leased the Academy of Music for the
season, and we did big business.
Finally he proposed benefit for Skiff
d Gaylord. and sent over to rent the
Crosby opera house. then the first
back the insolent reply to the overture
We won't rent our house for a - mig
ger show Johnny got warm in the
collar. He and | went down to his Of
flee in Root d Cady'S music store
= '''What will you take for your house e,
and sell it outright asked Johnny of
Mr.. Root"
~ don't want to SELL said he."
''FIl give you liberal price"
''M0ney is no object" Then Johnny
pulled out his roll from his valise and
counted out S2G0, 900, and asked Root if
that was an object. Root was thunder
struck. ''If you are that kind of a man.
you can have the opera house for the
benefit free of charge" Well, the ben
eft was the biggest success ever
known in minstreisy. The receipts were
$500 and more were turned away than
could be given admission. Next day
Johnny hunted up one of the finest car
riage horses in the city and presented it
to MIR. Root in recognition of the cour-
teSy.:
''Oh, Johnny was a prince with his
money. His income at that time was
Sl5,e01 per day, but | have seen him
spend as high as s160,0OO in one day.
That was the time he hired the CONT
mental hotel in Philadelphia and
BOUGHT THE GIRARD HOUSE.
''You have doubtless heard of the cir
cumstances. Itcame about in this way.
We went to the Continental and Johnny
very politely said to the clerk: will
you please tell the proprietor that J. w.
Steele wishes TO see him?' No, sir said
the clerk: the landlord is busy Johnny
suggested that he could make it an OBJ
ject in a financial way for the clerk to
accommodate the whim. At this the
clerk became diSdaintul, and Johnny
tossed bell boy a so gold piece, with
like request. The result was an inter-
view in the Office with the landlord
been ill-treated, and requested the sum-
mary dismissal of the clerk. The pro-
proprietor refused, and then Johnny
asked for the price of the hotel, offering
to buy it. The man said he could not
sell, because he was not the entire
owner.
'Will you lease it for to-day, then?"
asked I Johnny.
Surprising 1 give you $1,000 for the
privilege"
''Weil. that alters matters somewhat"
ga bargain was made, the SS,O00 was
paid over and Johnny was installed as
landlord. He made me bell boy, while
Sl0cum officiated as clerk. The doors
were thrown open, and every guest in
the house had his fill of wines and
edibles free of cost. In fact, huge
placard was posted in frbnt of the hotel,
Open house to-day: everything free;
all are welcomen Oh, it was a merry
lark. The whole city appeared to catch
on, an d the house was full. When
Johnny thought he had had fun enough
he turned the hostelry over to
the landlord, who at once reinstated the
OdiOus clerk. Here was howdedo.
Johnny was frantic with rage. He went
over to the Girard and quickly concluded
a bargain for it, the consideration being
$4,000. 1t was placed in the charge of
tho old nrOpriator with thp Instructions
to buck the Continental by making the
prices so low that everybody would |
come there. This was done, and the !
Continental did no business so long as
the arrangements continued. The day |
of the hotel transaction we were up OH |
Arch street. A rain set in and |
Johnny approached a hack standing
in front of fashionable store, |
and tried to engage it to carry us to the |
Grand. The driver said it:was imposSi- !
ble, as he had party in the store. |
Johnny tossed him 800 bill. and the |
driver said he would chance it. When |
we arrived at the hotel johnny said: |
''See here, Cabby, you re a likely fellow. !
How would you like to own that rig?"
The driver thought he was joking. but |
Johnny handed him s.. 200, and a half |
hour later the delighted driver returned |
with the statement that the purchase /
had been effected for the $1,000. johnny !
then gave him 81, 900 more to get q stable !
with, and that man is to-day the wealth. |
lest hack owner in Philadelphia. 1t Was
about 1866 that Johnny went broke, poor
fellow. All this talk about his lighting |
cigars with 800 bills is nonsense. He |
was sDendthrift, but he usually spent |
his money where he thought it would |
benefit some one. Good-by. I must |
hurry, for my turn comes next"
Took FOrcible Possession.
CHICAGO, Dec. 16.-This afternoon |
the Chicago city officials took forcible |
possession of the offices in the Hyde |
Park city hall. The village officials and